GUWAHATI :With a view to promote sports talents of the State, Government of Assam would spend an amount of Rs. 20 lakh per play ground for modernization of 500 play grounds in rural areas of Assam. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced this while taking part in the concluding ceremony of Inter Academy Master League under 11 Football tournament organised by Assam Youth Development Forum at Chalakataki under Duliajan LAC in Dibrugarh district today. Chief Minister Sonowal said that the state government has taken up various steps to develop sports infrastructure in the state and organised number of international sports events in its bid to transform Guwahati into India’s Sports capital. He informed that already FIFA and AIBA authorities have appreciated state government’s initiatives in this regard. The Chief Minister Sonowal mentioned that the state government would set up a sports university at Chabua in Dibrugarh district and organise panchayat level football tournament and budget provisions for the same have already been made. He also informed about the sports policy recently formulated by the state government under which provisions for cash initiatives and jobs in the government services have been made for the medal winners of Olympic and other international events. Stating that the government has adopted a holistic approach to help the youth in taking up sport as a career, Sonowal urged the parents, teachers and sports organisations to work jointly for giving an impetus to the government efforts. Dibrugarh MP Rameshwar Teli, MLAs Teras Gowala, Rituparna Baruah, Sanjay Kishan, CEM Sonwoal Kachari Autonomous Council Dipu Ranajan Markari, Deputy Commissioner Dibrugarh Laya Madduri and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

GUWAHATI :The upcoming Assam Gram Panchayat elections will be held after Bihu Festival of the state. This has been informed by State Election Commissioner Harendra Nath Bora. He said that by April-May of this year the Panchayat election will be held in Assam.
In three phases Assam Gram Panchayat elections will be conduct. State Election Commission also set a target to complete the election process by the end of May 2018. He said that Assam State Election Commission is completely ready to conduct the Assam Gram Panchayat elections.
Election Commissioner Harendra Nath Bora also informed that the election procedure will be conducted through ballot box. In this regard Election Commission already sends nomination forms and ballot papers to all respective districts of the state. He also said that in the mean time tenor of maximum Panchayat body has already ended. He further informed that by the 16th July of this year the tenor of all Panchayat going to be end of the state.
Bora also said that Assam Gram Panchayat Elections has been affected due to ongoing process of NRC up gradation in the state. Due to maximum Government employees are involved in NRC up gradation process so that only State Election Commissioner could not conduct the Panchayat Election on time. He also said that NRC authority do not want to allow employees to work in other sector who are working for NRC up gradation. For the upcoming Assam Gram Panchayat Election the budget will be 145 crore informed Commissioner Harendra Nath Bora.
Assam State Election Commission will be responsible to conduct this Assam Gram (Gaon) Panchayat Election. Before this the panchayat election in Assam was conduct in 2013.

GUWAHATI :“60 years ago, OIL started its journey from Naharkatia oil well No. 1. Over the years, OIL has made significant contribution to the growth of the state. It has generated employment opportunities in the towns and villages of the state through which it has brought economic empowerment and made the people self-reliant. OIL has also forayed into skill development and it must boost up initiatives in skilling the youth with greater focus”, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said ​this while taking part in the celebration of 60 glorious years of India&#39;s second largest oil exploration and production behemoth Oil India Limited at South Bank oil well at Naharkatia in Dibrugarh district today. Appreciating the team spirit of the OIL family, Chief Minister Sonowal said that OIL’s benefits have not been limited to its employees alone but it has immensely contributed to the growth of Assam. He further said that the Rs. 10,000 crore MoU signed by Oil with Govt. of Assam at the Advantage Assam: Global Investors Summit would give an added impetus to the state&#39;s resurgent economy. “Our Government has recently organized the Advantage Assam: Global Investors Summit with an aim to tap the huge ASEAN market. The Act East Policy envisages capitalizing the commercial and cultural relations that we share with the South East Asia”, Sonowal said adding that the State Government is committed to materialize Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s call of “Perform, Reform and Transform” in Assam and a number of initiatives have already been launched keeping that in mind. The Chief Minister also said that the measures taken up by the government would greatly benefit the youth and urged them to work with honesty, integrity and hard work. He also called upon the people to continue their support to OIL in its journey towards excellence. In connection with the celebration, awards of excellence for performance were presented in seven categories to OIL employees. The chief minister also ceremonially laid the foundation stone of a 60 years commemorative gate at the Naharkatia OIL well No 1. While Chief Managing Director of OIL Utpal Bora delivered the welcome speech, Dibrugarh MP Rameswar Teli also spoke on the occasion. Local MLA Naresh Sonowal also graced the 60 years celebration of OIL in the programme. Commemorating the celebration, OIL has also organised another programme for disbursement of financial assistance and inputs to joint liability groups (JLG) under its CSR scheme “Project Rupantar” at Duliajan today. In the programme Chief Minister Sonowal distributed 150 Power Tillers, 50 pickup vans and financial assistance to 200 JLGs. Speaking on the occasion chief minister Sonowal underlined various initiatives taken up by the Government of Assam to boost up the rural economy by revitalizing the farm sector. He informed that the state government has already tied up with Assam Agricultural University Jorhat to bring rapid development in this sector. Sonowal mentioned about the implementation of Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana under which the state government aims to provide tractors in 26 thousand villages of the state and emphasised on greater use of science and technology in the agriculture sector. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in women led development and that state government puts adequate thrust on women empowerment”, Chief Minister Sonowal said and expressed hope that OIL’s Project Rupantar would greatly benefit the women JLGs. The Chief Minister in his speech also mentioned about the initiatives taken up by the State government for skill development of the youth and various other provisions made in the budget 2018-19 for generating employment and leveraging economy. Chief Minister Sonowal sought peoples cooperation in successful implementation of the schemes taken up by the government and reiterated that the state government’s fight against corruption would continue unabated to cleanse the administrative machinery from this social evil. MP Rameshwar Teli, MLA Terosh Gowala, Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri, CMD OIL Utpal Bora and former Director of SIPRD Dr. Zakir also delivered speech in the programme. MLA Rituparna Baruah and Sanjay Kishan, CEM of Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council Dipu Ranjan Markari, Chairman and Director of Assam Hydrocarbon &amp; Energy Company Limited Punakon Barua, Assam Petrochemicals Limited Vice Chairman Bikul Deka, Director Finance OIL Rupsikha Bora, Director Operations OIL Pramod Kumar Sharma were also present in the programme.

GUWAHATI: The anthem Jana Gana Mana : AASU wants it to be included, Bolstering Assam Congress Chief MP Ripun Bora .All Assam Students' Union (Aasu) wants it to be included, Bolstering Assam Congress Chief MP Ripun Bora : The name of the northeast has not been included in the anthem.the contention that the national anthem should mention the northeast, the influential All Assam Students' Union (Aasu) said it has long been demanding this revision and it is about time that a change be brought about.
"We have been asking for it (inclusion of the northeast) in the national anthem for long. We have not placed it before the government, but the fact remains that for whatever reasons, the name of the northeast has not been included in the anthem. Aasu wants it to be included," Aasu president Dipanka Nath told Media persons on today. Bora had moved a private member's resolution that the "House urge the government to amend the National Anthem to delete the word 'Sindh' and replace it with the words 'Northeast India'." Bora had said, "Northeast is important part of India, it is unfortunate that it is not part of national anthem. On the other hand, Sindh is mentioned, which is no longer part of India but part of Pakistan, which is a hostile country." In a different context, but just a day after Bora, Haryana minister Anil Vij sought an amendment to the anthem as well, demanding that the word 'adhinayak' be replaced since India is a democracy now. Vij had supported Bora's resolution.
The first official record of the demand for inclusion of a reference to the region in the national anthem was in 1986 by AGP legislator Zoii Nath Sarma in the assembly. In 2013, the issue came up for discussion in the state assembly again. AGP legislator Phani Bhusan Choudhury moved a private member's resolution, referring to a vernacular daily's report, quoting media, where the notation of the national anthem published in 1950 and 1997 showed the word Kamrup (ancient name of Assam) inserted in the lyric composed by Tagore. Choudhury, while moving his resolution, had stated that said the word 'Kamrup' was dropped from the national anthem to make room for the word 'Sindhu' and he demanded re-inclusion of 'Kamrup'.
In 2016, former Meghalaya governor V Shanmuganathan had suggested in his address at 65th Plenary of the North Eastern Council in Shillong that the region should find mention in the national anthem. That would, he said, instil a feeling of belongingness among the people of the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present at the function. Ex Congress minister Rakibul Hussain had then told the House that the state government would approach Media for verification.

GUWAHATI : In a shocking incident at Sibsagar’s Magarhat, locals woke up to their surprise in the early hours of a Sunday morning when they witnessed a paddy field full of dead vultures.
As many as 32 dead vultures were recovered by the surprised locals of the area. The locals suspect poisoning as the reason behind the mass death of vultures.
According to the villagers, the mass death occurred following the vultures started preying on a dead goat which has been suspected to be poisoned.
Also, six vultures have fallen ill with serious complications. A veterinary team was rushed to the spot where they have started inspecting the cause of death and have taken the ill vultures for treatment.

GUWAHATI : In a shocking incident at Sibsagar’s Magarhat, locals woke up to their surprise in the early hours of a Sunday morning when they witnessed a paddy field full of dead vultures.
As many as 32 dead vultures were recovered by the surprised locals of the area. The locals suspect poisoning as the reason behind the mass death of vultures.
According to the villagers, the mass death occurred following the vultures started preying on a dead goat which has been suspected to be poisoned.
Also, six vultures have fallen ill with serious complications. A veterinary team was rushed to the spot where they have started inspecting the cause of death and have taken the ill vultures for treatment.

GUWAHATI :In a shocking incident the wife and children of an army personnel have been robbed in Chennai Express on Sunday night while they were on their way to Nagaland from Tamil Nadu.
As per reports, the officer's wife, his two daughters and son were travelling from Tamil Nadu to Nagaland, to meet him as he is posted there. But miscreants robbed the family’s cash, mobile phone and other items after the train entered Assam.
The victimized family then decided to lodge a complaint regarding the theft at the Rangia Junction but the train left the place without them.
Following this the helpless family took refuge at a local household in Ghograpara and later approached the police for help, whereas the police are finding problems in communicating with the victims’ family in Tamil Nadu for help which has placed them in greater dilemma.

GUWAHATI : In a recent development, the drivers of Ola and Uber drivers begin their indefinite strike on Monday which has also hit Guwahati.
The indefinite strike has been called by the transport wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in Mumbai, drivers in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and other big cities of the country against the low payments made by the app-based taxi aggregators.
As per reports, the strike is an indefinite one and as per the organizers the cabs will be off the roads till their demands are met.
As alleged by the drivers, they had been hoping to make Rs 1.5 lakh a month after investing Rs.5-7 lakh but have not been able to recover even half of that because of the mismanagement by these companies.
Reportedly, Ola and Uber had earlier given big assurances to them but they are unable to cover their costs. Many are unable to even pay the monthly installments for the loans on their cabs due to low income.
It may be stated that the strike will definitely disrupt the life of many people who rely on the app-based services as cabs will running in a very small number; probably the company owned ones which are being driven by drivers dispatched by the company itself.

GUWAHATI : Four deadly accidents occurred in the darkness of Sunday night which led to the death of five persons.
The first accident took place in Darrang's Dolgaon region where a bike was hit by a truck, leading to the death of the two riders of the bike. The deceased youths have been identified as residents of Bharalu, Guwahati.
Whereas, one man lost his life after the truck he was in was hit by a night super bus in Boko, Kamrup. It may be stated that ten passengers of the bus received serious injuries after the bus rolled down on the road due to the collision with the truck.
Reportedly, two such accidents occurred in Nagaon's Kampur and Juriya region.
In Kampur's Bareguga a scooter and a bike collided with each other leading to the death of two and critically injuring two others. The injured were immediately taken to the hospital in critical condition.
On the other hand, a constable of Juriya Police Station was critically injured after the scooty he was travelling in was hit by a speeding bike.
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Rhino census: Population of rhinos has increased in Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary

MORIGAON, ASSAM :A comprehensive one horned Rhino Census was carried away in Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary of Central Assam today by the forest department of Assam Government in collaboration with several nature loving organosations. After the completion of the census ,the wild life department disclosed that as many as 102 rhinos are there in Pobitora Wildlife Sancturay of Assam. Pobitora wildlife sanctuary is the densest habitat of one horned rhinos in the world where in the areas of 48sq.KM of swamp land has 102 rhinos. After long 6 years the rhinos census was held today. Talking to the newsmen,P. Boruah, Divisional Forest Officer ,Wildlife Division Guwahati disclosed that during last 6 years, 6 rhinos were shot dead by the poachers in the sanctuary while natural death occurred to 20 rhinos in Pobitoa sanctuary.,DFO added. During last year Pobitora sanctuary was badly affected by the Brahmaputra flood. The damaged infrastructures of the sanctuary were repaired and heavy turn out of both domestic and foreign tourists were reported in the sanctuary this year. In a recent development it has been found that the population of rhinos has increased in the Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary on Sunday.
It may be stated that a rhino census for a headcount has been going at the sanctuary and as per reports a number of nine rhinos has increased making the rhino population to one hundred and two now.
Reportedly, in 2012 there were ninety-three rhinos in the sanctuary as per census.
The latest development has brought a bit of rejoice among the authorities and the people of the state because despite deaths due to poaching and natural calamities the population of rhinos has increased in the sanctuary.

GUWAHATI :Supreme Court of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi Said Legal remedies must reach every person. Stressing the need for extending legal services to the needy and under-privileged sections of society, Justice Ranjan Gogoi of the Supreme Court of India said that in order to be meaningful, legal remedies must reach each and every person, especially those who were not in a position to avail it.Addressing the inaugural session of the 16th All India Meet of State Legal Services Authorities here, Justice Gogoi said, “This has been the national commitment of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and towards this end, it has been providing free legal services to the weaker sections of society.”
Justice Gogoi, who is also the Executive Chairman of the NALSA, said that among the objectives behind holding the meet is to identify the gaps, bring in the remedial interventions and chart out a future course of action for the State legal services authorities.
He added that the NALSA had envisioned opening Legal Literacy Clubs in educational institutions to spread legal literacy across the country, serving the cause of justice delivery in the process.
“The legal services authorities have also been working to bridge the gap between the public and the agencies which are in charge of providing rightful services to the people,” he said.
It may be noted that a few legal literacy clubs have already been in operation in Assam.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who inaugurated the event along with Justice Gogoi, termed the judiciary as the guiding force of the country “which leads the legal way for other three branches of our democracy to follow”. He added that the judiciary always played the role of a catalyst to take the laws framed in the legislature to the doorsteps of every user.
Sonowal said that the country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is experiencing positive transformations and all the four pillars of democracy are working in tandem to champion the cause of public welfare and public interests.
“In order to make democracy vibrant, involvement of the people in the system and their active participation in the functioning of the government is a must. Keeping this in mind, the State government is giving maximum thrust on making government services more accessible to the masses,” he added.
Legal services being at the core of all services, he added, concerted efforts have been made by the State government in association with the judiciary to expand the reach of judiciary in the interior places.
Hailing the role of the State Legal Services Authority, which was set up in 1998, the Chief Minister said that the authority during past 20 years extended free valuable legal aid to the needy people and worked for generating more legal awareness in society.
“From organising Lok Adalats for disposal of long-pending cases, in its initial stages, the activities of the State Legal Services Authority have become manifold. Moreover, its handling of pre-litigation disputes and spreading legal education have immensely benefited the people of the State,” he added.
Sonowal also attributed the positive changes in the conditions of the prisoners in jails to the concerted efforts of the Legal Services Authority. Digitization of the Legal Aid Clinics in the central jails of the districts has enabled the convicts and prisoners to know the status of their pending cases by the click of a button now. The convicts are also getting the facilities of filing their jail appeals without any hassle through such clinics, he added.
The event was organised under the auspices of the Assam State Legal Services Authority in association with NALSA.
The Chief Minister also released a coffee table book and video CD on the journey of the NALSA so far.
Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Justice Ajit Singh, Justice Hrishikesh Roy of Gauhati High Court, legal luminaries from across the nation and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

GUWAHATI :Major financial scam ,The CBI has already completed a preliminary probe into the scam and filed a formal FIR against National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC).At a time when the Assam government has been trying to give a boost to industrialisation in the State, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed a major scam in the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and registered a case against several senior officers of the corporation, including the former zonal head of the organisation.The CBI has already completed a preliminary probe into the scam and filed a formal FIR. As per the FIR, the preliminary investigation into the case found that the scam took place between 2011 and 2016 and the government lost a substantial amount of revenue because of the irregularities. The FIR said that DP Ghatak, the then senior branch manager and PN Sharma, the then accounts head of the NSIC Limited, Guwahati branch office, allowed to exceed bank guarantee limits to 21 different private units which have availed benefits under the raw material assistance scheme. The officials violated the laid down guidelines of the NSIC and caused “wrongful loss” to the tune of Rs 592.88 lakh. The officials also regularly made false entries in the software to ensure that the outstanding amount of the private enterprises does not exceed the bank guarantee limit, the CBI FIR said.
The FIR revealed that Ghatak, Sharma and A Baruah, the then manager of the business development and recovery section of the NSIC, Guwahati, had manipulated and forged annexure statements maintained in the raw material assistance scheme software in the monthly reports to hide the outstanding balance of the industrial units.
The raw material assistance scheme aims at helping the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by way of financing the purchase of raw material (both indigenous and imported). This gives an opportunity to MSMEs to focus better on manufacturing quality products. But the rate of interest of the outstanding amounts increases considerably after 90 days and it increases further after 270 days.
The FIR further revealed that the accused NSIC officers credited the money in the loan accounts of the enterprises without actually receiving the money to reduce the outstanding balance. This also led to huge loss in the NSIC.
The CBI FIR further pointed out that JK Mahanta, the then zonal head of the NSIC also violated the laid down guidelines by allowing raw material assistance to units for more than 360 days. It is also alleged that the junior officers manipulated the software and monthly reports on the direction of Mahanta so that the actual outstanding balance of the industrial units remained lower than the bank guarantee value.
After completing the preliminary investigation, the CBI registered a case against the accused officers of the NSIC under Sections 120(B), 420, 468, 471 and 471(A) of the IPC and under different Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

GUWAHATI :Hundreds of villagers armed with bamboo sticks and sharp weapons chased, cornered and lynched the leopard allegedly in the presence of police and forest personnel.
Eye witnesses said that the leopard was taking shelter near the croplands. It was spotted by some villagers wandering in the by-lanes early morning and said to have injured four persons.Later, in a planned attack, a mob ventured into the jungle and mobbed the leopard, bludgeoning it to death. A few villagers got injured when the leopard attacked in self-defense.
Even as police officials under Khowang police station tried to control the mob, they were overpowered. Villagers alleged that forest department officials arrived late at the spot. After killing it, the body of the leopard was dragged by villagers to an undisclosed location.
The incident took place just two days after wildlife experts and enthusiasts celebrated the successful rescue of a male leopard in Bokakhat town of Assam’s Golaghat district.
Wildlife conservationist from Assam, Kaushik Barua said, “Leopards will slowly be driven to the point of extinction. In tea garden areas of Upper Assam, human-leopard conflict has escalated due to degradation of forests around tea estates that used to act as leopard habitats. In areas around Guwahati, rapid urbanization of hills has added to the growing conflict. It’s about time we learn to live with them.”
According to unofficial reports, this is already the fourth incident of leopard lynching in Assam inside the first three months of this year. In February, two leopards were killed at Barpeta. Another leopard was beaten to death by villagers in Jorhat district on 18 February.

GUWAHATI :Hundreds of villagers armed with bamboo sticks and sharp weapons chased, cornered and lynched the leopard allegedly in the presence of police and forest personnel.
Eye witnesses said that the leopard was taking shelter near the croplands. It was spotted by some villagers wandering in the by-lanes early morning and said to have injured four persons.Later, in a planned attack, a mob ventured into the jungle and mobbed the leopard, bludgeoning it to death. A few villagers got injured when the leopard attacked in self-defense.
Even as police officials under Khowang police station tried to control the mob, they were overpowered. Villagers alleged that forest department officials arrived late at the spot. After killing it, the body of the leopard was dragged by villagers to an undisclosed location.
The incident took place just two days after wildlife experts and enthusiasts celebrated the successful rescue of a male leopard in Bokakhat town of Assam’s Golaghat district.
Wildlife conservationist from Assam, Kaushik Barua said, “Leopards will slowly be driven to the point of extinction. In tea garden areas of Upper Assam, human-leopard conflict has escalated due to degradation of forests around tea estates that used to act as leopard habitats. In areas around Guwahati, rapid urbanization of hills has added to the growing conflict. It’s about time we learn to live with them.”
According to unofficial reports, this is already the fourth incident of leopard lynching in Assam inside the first three months of this year. In February, two leopards were killed at Barpeta. Another leopard was beaten to death by villagers in Jorhat district on 18 February.

GUWAHATI :Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla faces court summons.The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Serchhip district in central Mizoram has summoned Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla to appear before his court on March 28 on charges of filing false affidavits before the 2013 Assembly elections.Lalhriatrenga Chhangte, Deputy Controller of Mines at the Indian Bureau of Mines, Kolkata, accused Thanhawla of concealing information about his owning a plot of land at Kolkata and his actual age while filing his nomination papers.
Chhangte alleged that though the Chief Minister owns a landed property at New Town in Kolkata, he failed to mention this in the affidavit while filing his nominations on November 8, 2013.
Chhangte filed a complaint before the Election Commission of India (ECI) in November last against the Mizoram Chief Minister. The ECI instructed the complainant to lodge a complaint in Serchhip district.
The five-time Chief Minister Thanhawla got elected from his traditional Serchhip constituency for the third consecutive time in 2013. He lost the seat in the 1998 elections, but has retained it since 2003. The complainant, too, is a voter from Serchhip town.
Langaihmawia Zote, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at the Serchhip District Court, registered a criminal complaint (No. 1/2018 U/S 190 r/w Section 200 of CrPC) against the Chief Minister on January 17 this year.

GUWAHATI :Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla faces court summons.The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Serchhip district in central Mizoram has summoned Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla to appear before his court on March 28 on charges of filing false affidavits before the 2013 Assembly elections.Lalhriatrenga Chhangte, Deputy Controller of Mines at the Indian Bureau of Mines, Kolkata, accused Thanhawla of concealing information about his owning a plot of land at Kolkata and his actual age while filing his nomination papers.
Chhangte alleged that though the Chief Minister owns a landed property at New Town in Kolkata, he failed to mention this in the affidavit while filing his nominations on November 8, 2013.
Chhangte filed a complaint before the Election Commission of India (ECI) in November last against the Mizoram Chief Minister. The ECI instructed the complainant to lodge a complaint in Serchhip district.
The five-time Chief Minister Thanhawla got elected from his traditional Serchhip constituency for the third consecutive time in 2013. He lost the seat in the 1998 elections, but has retained it since 2003. The complainant, too, is a voter from Serchhip town.
Langaihmawia Zote, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at the Serchhip District Court, registered a criminal complaint (No. 1/2018 U/S 190 r/w Section 200 of CrPC) against the Chief Minister on January 17 this year.

GUWAHATI :The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) today said that it will support the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the NDA government which was moved today by the Telegu Desam Party.AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam said here that the Badruddin Ajmal-led party will support the no-confidence motion and its three Lok Sabha MPs will vote against the government during the voting on the motion.
Islam said that the BJP-led NDA regime has lost the moral right to continue in office and added that the government has adopted one anti-people policy after another.
AIUDF has three MPs in the Lok Sabha. They are Badruddin Ajmal (Dhubri), Sirajuddin Ajmal (Barpeta) and Radheshyam Biswas (Karimganj).Himanta will ruin Sonowal’s prospects and career. Sonowal is a good person caught in an impossible situation. I am afraid he will also lose his ministership at the Centre after the elections. I have sympathy for him, the AIUDF chief said.

GUWAHATI : Assam Teachers Recruitment 2018 notification No.PMA.160/2018/15 to fill 5393 posts of Primary School Teachers for Lower Primary Schools has been released by the Directorate of Elementary Education, Assam on its official website - dee.assam.gov.in. The application process will begin from 26th March 2018 to 19th April 2018.
Eligibility Criteria:Applicant must have passed "Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known) or Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 45% marks and 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known), in accordance with the NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure), Regulations 2002 or Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and 4-Year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.) or Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and 2-Year Diploma in Education (Special Education)." and must have passed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).
Age Limit:
The applicant must be minimum 18 years and maximum 38 years as on 1st January 2018. Relaxation of upper age will be considered for SC/ST and provided as per the norms.Application Fee:
The applicants need to deposit an application fee of Rs.200 in the form of Indian Postal Order in the name of Director of Elementary Education, Assam, Kahilipara, Guwahati – 19.
Candidates can read the official notification here:
https://dee.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/dee_medhassu_in_oid_4/latest/Advertisement%20A%20for%20LP%20Schools%202018_0.pdf
Selection Process:
The District Level Selection Committee will verify the online applications documents submitted by the applicant along with their original documents. Applicants will be selected for post of Assistant Teacher in the same medium school as per the Language-I selected in Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for LPS.
Pay Scale:
The selected candidates will be eligible to receive Rs.14,000 to Rs.49,000 along with grade pay as admissible.

GUWAHATI :In Bongora, Mirza, a dumper truck hit a forest officer when he signaled to stop the vehicle. As per report, the dumper truck was carrying sand illegally.
The officer, Prafulla Sarma who tried to stop the truck got serious injuries and admitted to the GNRC in a critical condition. His family informed that he was threatened by the illegal sand smugglers since few days. And they also claimed that it was planned to hit him to death.
He was raising his voice against illegal smuggling and complaining about them to the department. For which the smugglers hit him along with his vehicle and tried to kill him when he signaled the truck to inspect about the legal notices of the vehicle, family said.
Police didn’t arrest any one till now.

NEW DELHI : The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Friday ended its four-year-old alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and quit NDA, which has led to instability in the Modi-led BJP government. It may be mentioned that earlier this month, two TDP union ministers had resigned over issues of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP, along with YSR Congress, also moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the council of ministers.
TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu wrote to BJP President Amit Shah that the TDP felt it pointless to continue its alliance with the NDA as the union government has failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities in implementing the ‘Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014’.
Naidu said that there is feeling which is developing in the state that the BJP is insensitive about the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
It must be noted that the strength of the NDA in Lok Sabha has now decreased to 311. BJP President Amit Shah is likely to meet the core group of BJP in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday for discussion regarding the issue. The BJP has said that this is an opportunity for them to grow further in the state.

GUWAHATI : Members of the All Assam Heads of the Department Ministerial Officers Association staged demonstrations at Last Gate, Guwahati demanding the government to equalise the pay structure of the employees with their counterparts at the Secretariat.
The association has alleged that the government has been indulging only in politics and on ground development is a far-fetched dream.
The protesters also informed that their demand for equalised pay is 15 years old. The association has also demanded the state government to fill up numerous posts that are lying vacant.
It must be noted that the association has been placing their demands since April, 2017. The protesters have alleged that though CM Sonowal promised to solve their problems in a meeting last year, no subsequent steps have been taken.

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “India under the leadership of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is experiencing transformative changes and in the wake of
these changes, all the four pillars of democracy are working in tandem to champion the cause
of public welfare and public interests”.
Delivering a speech after inaugurating the 16 th All India Meet of State Legal Services
Authorities with the Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjan Gogoi at a city hotel here today,
Chief Minister Sonowal said, “Judiciary is the guiding force of our country which leads the
legal way for other three branches of our democracy to follow”. He also said that judiciary
always plays the role of a catalyst to take the laws framed in the legislature to the doorsteps
of every user.
Sonowal also said that to make the democracy vibrant, involvement of the people in
the system and their active participation in the functioning of the Government is of
paramount importance. Keeping this in mind the state government is giving maximum thrust
on making Government services more accessible to the citizens. He said legal services being
the core of all services, concerted efforts have been paid by the state government in
association with the judiciary to improve the reach of judiciary in the interior places of the
State.
Hailing the role of State Legal Services Authorities which was set up in the year 1998,
Chief Minister Sonowal said that the Authority during past 20 years extended free valuable
legal aid to the needy people and worked for generating more legal awareness in the society.
From organizing Lok Adalats for disposal of long pending cases, in its initial stages, the
activities of the State Legal Services Authority have become manifold. Moreover, its
handling of pre-litigation disputes and spreading legal education have immensely benefited
the people of the state, Sonowal added.
Sonowal also said that due to its concerted efforts of the legal Services Authority,
conditions of the prisoners in jails have also undergone rapid changes. The digitisation of the
Legal Aid Clinics in the central jails of the districts has enabled the convicts and prisoners to
know the status of their pending cases by click of a button now. The convicts are also getting
the facilities of filing their jail appeals without any hassle through such clinics. Making a
special mention of the project called ‘Reach Out and Respond’ Sonowal said that under the
project where in fitment of artificial limbs were distributed to differently abled persons in
collaboration with the State Social Welfare and Health &amp; Family Welfare Department,
Bhagwan Mahaveer Biklang Sahayata Samiti and ALIMCO, visible changes have been
brought about in the life of the Divyangjans.
Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi who is also the executive
chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) while speaking on the occasion
said that extending legal services to the needy and under-privileged sections of the society
has been the national commitment of the NALSA and it has been providing free legal
services to the weaker sections of the society free of cost. He also said one of the objectives
to hold the 16 th All India Meet of State Legal Services Authorities was to identify the gaps,
take remedial steps and chart out future course of actions for the Legal Services Authorities.
He also said that the National Legal Services Authorities have envisioned to open
Legal Literacy Clubs in educational institutions to spread legal literacy in different parts of
the country. It may be noted that a few Legal Literacy Clubs have already been in operation
in Assam. He also said that the Legal Services Authorities have also been working to bridge
the gap between the public and the agencies which are in-charge of providing rightful
services to the people.
Synchronising with the occasion which was organised under the auspices of Assam
State Legal Services Authority in association with National Legal Services Authority, Chief
Minister Sonowal also released a Coffee Table Book and Video CD embellishing the journey
of NALSA made so far.
Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court Justice Ajit Singh, Judge, Gauhati High Court
Justice Hrishikesh Roy, legal luminaries from across the nation and a host of other dignitaries
were present on the occasion.

GUWAHATI :Success stories from Assam continue to make nationwide waves as a local boy from the state has attached another feather in the cap for the people of the land of mighty Brahmaputra.
Mainul Haque, a native of Dhekiajuli in Assam’s Sonitpur district, has bought laurels to the state this time by securing all India second position in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) exams. He scored 90.67 marks out of 100 in Instrumentation Engineering.
The story of Haque gets more inspiring and motivational by the fact that he never went outside of the state for pursuing any coaching classes to prepare for the exams. Belonging to a very poor and modest background was the reason he could not afford the expanses of GATE coaching which normally is expensive. But as they say: Hard work always pays off and Mainul Haque is the proper example of it. He studied by himself and cracked the GATE exams, not once but twice.
Interestingly, Haque appeared for GATE exams last year too and cleared it with 56 marks. But with determination that strong and his believe in the abilities to work hard, he gave it another try and came out with flying colours.A student of Assam Engineering College (2013-2017 batch), Haque lost his father at a tender age and took up the responsibility of building his career by himself and look after his younger sister and helpless mother. But neither monetary difficulties nor burden of a family or any grief could stop him from achieving his goals.
We wish him all the success and luck in future!!!

GUWAHATI :Success stories from Assam continue to make nationwide waves as a local boy from the state has attached another feather in the cap for the people of the land of mighty Brahmaputra.
Mainul Haque, a native of Dhekiajuli in Assam’s Sonitpur district, has bought laurels to the state this time by securing all India second position in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) exams. He scored 90.67 marks out of 100 in Instrumentation Engineering.
The story of Haque gets more inspiring and motivational by the fact that he never went outside of the state for pursuing any coaching classes to prepare for the exams. Belonging to a very poor and modest background was the reason he could not afford the expanses of GATE coaching which normally is expensive. But as they say: Hard work always pays off and Mainul Haque is the proper example of it. He studied by himself and cracked the GATE exams, not once but twice.
Interestingly, Haque appeared for GATE exams last year too and cleared it with 56 marks. But with determination that strong and his believe in the abilities to work hard, he gave it another try and came out with flying colours.A student of Assam Engineering College (2013-2017 batch), Haque lost his father at a tender age and took up the responsibility of building his career by himself and look after his younger sister and helpless mother. But neither monetary difficulties nor burden of a family or any grief could stop him from achieving his goals.
We wish him all the success and luck in future!!!

GUWAHATI :PM Modi said this was the second Science Congress in the northeast in the last 100 years. Over 5,000 invitees are taking part, including 2,000 research scholars and scientists.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived at Imphal in Manipur to address the 105th session of the Indian Science Congress “Reaching the unreached through Science and Technology”. He was received by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Governor Najma Heptulla at Imphal Airport. Modi inaugurated the national Science Congress and later launch several developmental projects. The Science Congress is expected to see a congregation of about 5000 delegations including three Noble laureates, scientists, scholars and researchers from all across the country, Public Relations Officer Ganesh Sethi of Manipur University said."I appeal to the scientists to spend at least 100 hours a year with 100 school students of classes 9 to 11 to teach them the aspects of science. This will go a long way in exposing the students to science," he said in his speech.
PM Modi said this was the second Science Congress in the northeast in the last 100 years. Over 5,000 invitees are taking part, including 2,000 research scholars and scientists.
Stating that the WHO was planning to eradicate TB from the world in 2030, he said India would accomplish this mission by 2025.
COMMENTSPM Modi appreciated the contribution in space science and said the country would check the brain drain of its scientists.
He urged scientists to help overcome problems like malnutrition and diseases like malaria and Japanese encephalitis.
The event was first scheduled to be held in January at Osmania University in Hyderabad. However, owing to “disturbances on campus”, it was cancelled and shifted to Imphal. Organisers feel that the last minute shift may hit the ISC, with fewer delegates attending the carnival and plenary session.I had urged all the DGs of Police during their 2014 Annual Conference to broad base police recruitment. I am happy to share that 438 candidates including 136 female candidates from North East States have joined Delhi Police Modi said. "The Government of India has sanctioned ten India Reserve Battalions for north-eastern states, which include two battalions for Manipur. These two battalions will directly provide job opportunities to about 2,000 youth in the state." "Today, seven out of eight states of north-east India are connected by rail network. Projects are going on to connect the remaining state capitals, including Imphal to broad gauge network," Modi said.Speaking on the welfare of doctors and teachers, Modi said, 'Doctors, teachers and nurses posted in remote areas of the districts face many hardships due to lack of proper accommodation. To address this problem, I have laid the foundation stone for construction of accommodation for them at 19 specified locations.'Advocating for online marketing, the PM said: I request Biren Singh to popularise e-marketing among the people in Manipur. Women here will be hugely benefited by this. I have inaugurated 1000 Anganwadi centres in the state to improve the lives of thousands of mothers and their children."Woman power in this state has always been a source of inspiration for the country. Today on this occasion, I salute the great revolutionary and daughter of the nation Rani Gaidinliu. I am also privileged to inaugurate a park dedicated in her name," the PM said.The way people of Manipur seem happy indicates how well the state government is working here," he added.While addressing the gathering at a function for foundation stone laying ceremony in Manipur, PM Modi said: The former government's policies and decisions brought immense negativity in the society. However, this has now been changed by CM Biren Singh. Whether it is law and order, corruptions or transparency, the Manipur government is steadily working on each front."We have to be ready in implementing technologies vital for the growth and prosperity of the nation. Technology will allow far greater penetration of services such as education, healthcare, and banking to our citizens," Modi added.While concluding his inaugural speech, the PM said, "I am confident that through the dedicated efforts of our scientists, we are embarking on the road to a glorious future. The future we wish for ourselves and for our children."The PM also said that India has a rich tradition and a long history of both discovery and use of science and technology. "It is time to reclaim our rightful place among the front-line nations in this field. I call upon the scientific community to extend its research from the labs to the land," he said."We have approved a 'Prime Minister’s Research Fellows' scheme. Under this project, the bright minds from the best of universities will be offered direct admission for PhD programme in institutes like IIT. It will help promote indigenous research," Modi said.Need science for clean, green, prosperous India'
"India faces several socio-economic challenges which affect a large section of our population. We need science to make India clean, green and prosperous."Speaking on the need to inculcate scientific temper among the youth, the PM said: Scientific and social responsibility is the need of the hour. Are we doing enough to ensure children are getting sufficient exposure to science in India? We have to throw upon our nation, institution and laboratories to our children. I urge scientists to hold interactions with school-going children and spend 100 hours every year with 100 students of Classes XI and XII, discussing various aspects of science and technology. Imagine how many scientists we will be able to nurture this way.Modi added, "It is time to redefine R&D - Research for the Development of the nation. Science is the means to improve the lives of others. The time is right to commit ourselves to facilitate the ease of living of 1.5 crore Indians through power and potential of science and technology."While addressing the crowd, the PM said: I am told that this is just the second time in over a century, that the Indian Science Congress is being held in the North-East. This is a testimony to the resurgent spirit of the North East. It bodes well for the future.The PM is visiting Manipur a day after completion of one year of the BJP-led coalition government in the state on Friday. Security in the state, particularly in Imphal town and the places where Modi will visit and lay down foundation stones, have been beefed up, high ranking police officials said.

GUWAHATI : Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi interacted with 15 Direct Trainee Gazetted Officers of 49th batch, CRPF in the conference hall of the Raj Bhavan today.
Welcoming the trainee officers, the Governor hailed their decision of joining the CRPF and urged upon them to serve the Nation selflessly. The approach “My Nation First” should be made as a way of life, adding the Governor asked the trainee officers to work hard to advance their professional status and expand their knowledge and skills and wished them all success in their future endeavours. He also appealed them to work relentlessly for the welfare of the country.
It is to be mentioned that the 15 trainee officers called on the Governor as a part of their study tour.

GUWAHATI : Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi interacted with 15 Direct Trainee Gazetted Officers of 49th batch, CRPF in the conference hall of the Raj Bhavan today.
Welcoming the trainee officers, the Governor hailed their decision of joining the CRPF and urged upon them to serve the Nation selflessly. The approach “My Nation First” should be made as a way of life, adding the Governor asked the trainee officers to work hard to advance their professional status and expand their knowledge and skills and wished them all success in their future endeavours. He also appealed them to work relentlessly for the welfare of the country.
It is to be mentioned that the 15 trainee officers called on the Governor as a part of their study tour.

GUWAHATI :The state has been shaken by yet another abhorrent crime against women. A married woman has been brutally gang raped in front of her husband in Nagaon’s Kampur region on Thursday night.
Reportedly, the couple was lured by the group eight to nine miscreants who took them to the bank of Kopili River in Kakoti village. Following this the miscreants raped the woman in front of the husband who was tied up.
Moreover the accused also robbed the belongings of the couple.
The couple has lodged an FIR regarding this at the Kampur police station.
Police is looking on the matter.

GUWAHATI : Asserting that the State Government had robust finances to implement the schemes announced in the Budget, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today told the Assembly that many of the pledges made in the last Budget had already been fulfilled.Replying to the general discussion on the Budget, Sarma said that the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, housing scheme for government employees, Bidya Lakshmi, health schemes, free admission for students, free textbook, starting of a medical college at Dhubri, and schemes for the physically-challenged and tea garden workers corroborated the Government’s goodwill, commitment and efficiency.
Earlier, the Opposition members, especially the Congress, had accused the Government of making empty promises in the Budget and of neglecting the State’s pressing concerns which they said got little reflection in the Budget.
Seeking to refute the Opposition’s charges, Sarma gave a list of the schemes implemented by the present Government and referred to the budgets during the Congress regime and said those contained many vague announcements that were never implemented.
“Besides, those budget proposals had little innovative and contained mostly Centrally-sponsored and externally-aided projects,” he said.
Sarma also launched a scathing attack on former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, saying that he indulged in ‘hit-and-run’ practices, as “he had attacked me personally on the floor of the House yesterday but isn’t present here today to hear what I have to say.”
Sarma who was Gogoi’s most trusted lieutenant in the Cabinet for close to 15 years added that he respected former Congress Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia a lot but that “I could not praise Gogoi’s son Gaurav and that was the reason I could not stay in the Congress.”
Sarma said that the present Government was committed to ushering in a new era of development in the State and it had both the resources and the goodwill to accomplish what it promised.

GUWAHATI :The Government of India is prepared to go ahead with signing of the Naga peace agreement without the NSCN(K) if the outfit does not join the peace process soon. Meanwhile, as per “circumstantial evidence” available with the security agencies, the frequency of meetings between the militant groups having bases in Myanmar and Chinese agencies increased in recent times.Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told reporters that the talks with the NSCN(I-M) and the coordination committee of six other militant outfits of Nagaland are progressing well and the Government is hopeful that the final agreement would be signed soon. However, sources refused to divulge the details of the agreements reached so far and only said that the major issues have been sorted out. Sources also said that the final agreement to be signed with the Naga rebel groups would be placed before the Parliament for ratification.
Sources said that the Government is still willing to accommodate the NSCN(K) in the peace process, but if the outfit does not join the process soon, it would not be possible to wait for the outfit for an indefinite period. Even if the NSCN(K) stays out of the peace process, it would not have much of an impact in the process as almost all the other outfits are talking with the Government. The entire civil society of Nagaland have extended full support to the talks, sources added. Sources also said that on several occasions, the civil society organizations of Nagaland have time and again appealed to the NSCN(K) to join the peace process, but so far, the outfit has not responded positively.
On the reasons for NSCN(K) not responding to the appeals by the civil society organizations, sources said that there might be several reasons for it. The first reason could be that it is under the influence of the Chinese agencies. The security agencies of India are of the view that most of the militant groups of North East, who have bases in Myanmar, are under the influence of the Chinese agencies. It is an established fact that China wants the militant groups to remain active to keep the North East region to remain disturbed. As per circumstantial evidence, the frequency of meetings between the agencies of the neighbouring countries and the militant groups increased in recent times.
Sources further pointed out that in recent years, the NSCN(K) witnessed several splits and at present, most of the senior leaders of the outfit are of Myanmar origin. “Such leaders want that the Naga inhabited areas of India and Myanmar should be together, which is not possible. They must understand that India and Myanmar are two separate sovereign countries and amalgamation of the Naga inhabited areas of both the countries would never be possible,” sources added.